The Capitol Games
by Primrose75
Summary: It's three years after Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch moved back into District 12. They Hunger Games are starting again, except this time with the Capitols children. Is Katniss going to stop it?
1. The Beginning

I stood with my hands limp at my side, the familiar touch of the grass on my feet. The meadow was almost silent, just the faint rustle of birds in the trees. I closed my eyes and let the aroma of new grass enter my nostrils.

There was a loud rustle behind me, one I would recognize anywhere. I let the tiniest smile appear on my face as I remembered Peeta trying to walk quietly through the woods in the arena. But it disappeared quickly. The games. Rue. Prim. Even after 3 years, I couldn't forget. A shaky breath left me and I fell to my knees. Strong arms wrapped around me from behind, and I buried my head in Peeta's shoulder. After a long silence, Peeta looked at the rising sun and spoke so quietly, only I could hear. Not that there was anyone else around, anyway.

"What would have happened, you think, if there had never been any Hunger Games?"

I gazed into the blue shades of the sky and then into Peeta's eyes for a long time. They were the same shade as the soft blue that stretched above us, and had long-lost the unfocused black stare.

"I would have woken up." My reply came stiffly.

Peeta smiled momentarily and stood up. I took his hand and we found our way back to our house, past the ashes of District 12, into Victors Village. The lights were off at Haymitch's house, expectantly, as he was most likely passed out and drunk. Peeta kissed my hair and went to off to bake, and I was left alone on the front steps, lost in my thoughts. After a few silent minutes, the air above me swirled and loose leaves flew around hectically. I looked up in the sky to see the silhouette of a hovercraft descending in front of me. The sunlight glinted off the craft and into my eyes. I blocked the light from my face, wondering who it could be.

The list of people who cared to visit was short. My mother, to see me and all the while dread returning to District 12. Paylor, to tell me someone else I cared about had been killed. But when the sleek craft doors glided open, my breath caught in my throat, and I nearly fell onto the steps behind me. Rue's slight build, luminous brown eyes, filled the space in front of me and stupefied me. I blinked. Twice.

It wasn't Rue. It was her little sister, the one who had eyed me on my Victory Tour in District 11 all those years ago. She was about as old as Rue was when she died. The resemblance was captivating. I choked out the word that were lingering on my tongue but all that left me was a whisper.

"R-Rue."

Rue's perfect clone bit her lip and I noticed she stood like Rue; arms slightly extended, on her toes like she was about to take flight. I saw the vague differences now. Her eyebrows didn't arch the same way and her face didn't have much innocence left, unlike Rue's. Of course, she had been through much more than her older sister.

"Well, I guess I'd better introduce myself now." she started.

"You know of course, I'm Rue's sister. My name is Jade and I need your help."

I noticed how her voice matched Rue's quiet, but sincere tone. She took a breath and spoke clearly, no hint of bluff in her cocoa brown eyes, which finally met my own eyes.

"The 76th Hunger Games are about to begin. And I want you to stop them."


	2. The Decision

**Thanks for all the reviews! **

**Katniss isn't sure if she wants to stop the games. Will she forgive and forget?**

**BREAK**

**Previously:** "_The 76th Hunger Games are about to begin. And I want you to stop them."_

"What?"

I asked, already knowing what Jade meant. Hunger Games with the capitol children. My brain went reeling through my past, to the vote we had taken before I assassinated Coin. I had said yes, for Prim.

"No. They killed Rue, Jade." She had lost her sister in this mess. Wouldn't she agree with me?

But Jade's tone was sure and fierce.

"I don't want anyone else to go through what we did, Katniss. The pain, the loss. They're innocent children, not what their parents are."

"They took _everything_ from me. My father, Prim, Cinna, _Rue. _Even Peeta. They took him and twisted him up," I fought back.

Jade bit her lip again and motioned inside.

"Can we talk inside, at least?"

I wheeled around and opened the door and she followed me in. At that moment Peeta strolled in, and raised his brow at Jade. I saw his face go through the same confused, painful reaction I had experienced.

"She's Jade. Rue's little sister," I told him, saving Jade the effort.

Jade nodded in confirmation and I imagined the gears in Peeta's head turning. She frowned and waited for me to tell him, but when I didn't, she spoke up.

"They're having more Hunger Games, Peeta. With capitol kids. We need to stop it."

"What? I thought that was ended when Katniss killed President Coin. That's barbaric, it's the reason we had a rebellion! Of course we need to stop it!" Peeta shouted, enraged.

Rue nodded and her eyes opened hopefully.

"You'll help me then? To stop it?" she asked.

Peeta nodded but then glanced at me and I knew he knew what I was thinking.

"Give us a minute, Jade? You probably had a long flight, help yourself to anything in the kitchen."

She nodded and bounced off. Peeta strode over to me, and his face was three inches from mine. I looked up at him and put my hand on his chest.

"You won't understand, Peeta. They killed everyone," I argued.

"_I do _understand, Katniss. But you have to forgive and forget, we can't take out our anger at innocent children," Peeta pleaded, his face closer.

"Even if I agree, how are we going to stop them? Three people against the Capitol?" I tried.

"Not just three people. The Mockingjay. The odds were the same last time," Peeta reasoned.

I pursed my lips and frowned, trying to control my temper. The thought of Prim's death going unavenged brought back a rage I had controlled until now.

"No! What about Prim!" I almost yelled.

"Exactly! She didn't die for nothing, that was why we rebelled! To stop the Hunger Games!" Peeta shot back, just as hotly.

I stood still, stubbornly, our bodies still inches apart. Peeta broke away, and I knew he had snapped.

"Fine! You can sit here sulking, but I'm never turning my back on people who need me again!"  
>Peeta rebutted.<p>

He stalked out of the room, and I heard his drawers slamming open and shut, and clothes being thrown into a bag. I retreated angrily into a open doorway, and found myself in the same study I had talked to Snow in, years ago.

My fingers traced the edge of the wooden desk and I sat down slowly. Deep down, I knew Peeta was right, but acceptance was not my biggest trait. I thought of my past, filled with pain, hardships, and emotional roller coasters. Did I really want someone else to go through that torture? No. I wanted the boy with the bread, his yellow sun that meant rebirth. And I had it.

My eyes swarmed over to the desk, and my fingers took hold of the pearl Peeta had given me. I let it rest in my palm, then I deftly pocketed it, and my mind was made up. I walked out and went to find Peeta.

I heard Jade and Peeta conversing in the kitchen; Peeta had his back to me, and didn't hear me behind him. It was hard to look at Jade and be reminded so much of Rue. I felt guilty about it, but I avoided her, not wanting to be overwhelmed with the memories.

"Paylor officially stopped The Games as soon she was voted in, and there was a whole speech on live TV. At this point, people were too preoccupied with recovering from the rebellion to care. Then, things calmed down, and Paylor changed her mind." Jade explained. "More and more people demanded that there be games with capitol kids and Paylor complied. There was an announcement on TV and I couldn't let it go. So, the next day, a capitol official visited District 11, and his hovercraft was next to our family's house. I didn't really think, I just told my brother, Eli and left. Eli's 11, just two years younger than me, and I know he can keep the secret. I managed to get inside the hovercraft, and I thought it was empty, but didn't know how to fly it. Turns out, it wasn't empty, the pilot caught me, but I explained my plan-to come ask the Mockingjay for help, and I guess there are friends everywhere," she finished.

Finally, I spoke up.

"I'm coming," I declared.

Peeta whirled around, anger fresh on his face. My middle three fingers lifted, and I raised them in a salute. The gesture was unfamiliar, so much time had passed. Neither me nor Peeta could ever stay mad at one another for long. He crossed the distance between us in three long strides and enveloped me in a hug. I hugged him back, knowing that he was all I would ever need.

Over Peeta's shoulder, Rue, no, Jade raised her fingers in a reply salute and smiled. I smiled back, and I realized how young she was, and how much she had been through, like me. Right now, Jade must be as old as Prim when she died. At 12, I took over my family, provided for them, and looked out for them. When Peeta released me from the hug, I addressed Jade.

"Jade - If you don't mind me asking, are your parents alive?" So much had happened during the rebellion, so many lives lost, that it was hard to keep track. Rue looked away and pain struck her face and I quickly backpedaled.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked,"

She shook her head.

"No. You should know," she insisted. "When the rebellion was going on, a peacekeeper was flogging a young boy for stealing. My mother tried to stop it, and-," she trailed off, weakened by grief - I knew the feeling.

"I was 11. My father was already overcome by grief when Rue died and couldn't handle it when my mother passed away, so he quit his job in the fields. I worked for money, and we got small donations from friends who pitied our loss. Then I started signing up for tesserae. After a few years, Eli and Will were old enough to work-they're 11 and 9. Of course, Bree and Clair are too young - just 6 and 4," Rue told us.

I thought about this and felt such strong empathy for Jade, I wanted to give her a big hug.

"I'm sorry." I said after a polite silence.

Peeta spoke up.

"So what's our plan? We can't exactly burst into Paylor's mansion and declare that there be no games."

"We need people-as many as we can get. Johanna, Beetee, Enobaria, Annie, even Haymitch," I confirmed.

Peeta smiled and held out his hand.

"Well, then, lets get this show on the road, shall we?"

I took his hand. 


End file.
